Women's AFCON 2026 in Doubt as Morocco's Hosting Willingness Questioned

The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), due to start on March 17, is in doubt due to uncertainty over Morocco's willingness to host, possibly due to renovation timelines. South Africa has offered to step in, with its Sport Minister accusing Morocco of attempting to hold African football authorities to ransom.

Key points

• The Confederation of African Football (CAF) stated the matter is receiving urgent attention and will be clarified in the coming days.
• Morocco has reportedly warned it may struggle to meet timelines due to heavy scheduling and stadium renovation projects.
• CAF President Patrice Motsepe ruled out changing the tournament dates as it is a qualifying event for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
• South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, stated South Africa is ready to host and will not be held hostage by countries with less infrastructure.
• Nigeria is the defending champion, having won the previous edition against Morocco.

Why it matters

The uncertainty creates an unprecedented logistical vacuum for qualifying teams preparing for the tournament, which is crucial as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.